Andrew Kitaka said commuter taxis parking along the streets and vendors are to blame for the congestion. Courtesy photo.
KAMPALA–Starting Friday this week all motorists parking in the city should brace themselves to meet new fees.
Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) announced that effective September 1, the parking fees will be increased from Shs42,000 to Shs105,000.
Multiplex Ltd, a private firm tendered to collect the parking fees, will continue doing the job.
Andrew Kitaka, KCCA’s director of Engineering and Technical Services, said motorists parking for one hour will pay Shs1,000 while those parking for two hours uninterrupted will part with Shs1,600.
“For several years, parking charges in the city have been very low leading to congestion,” Kitaka said.
He said the move aims at raising local revenue and decongesting the city.
Due to too much congestion in the city centre, it takes more than one hour for one to drive through the city centre.
Kitaka said commuter taxis parking along the streets and vendors are to blame for the congestion.
Currently, to park in the city, Multiplex Ltd charges motorists Shs400 for the first one hour and the charge doubles in the subsequent hours.
Sources at City Hall revealed that when government reduced funding to KCCA, the authority is now seeking alternative avenues to run its projects. Collecting property rates is among the taxes the authority is vigorously engaged in.
Meanwhile, special hire drivers operating along Dewinton Road vowed not to pay the new parking fees, arguing that they are already paying more.
“We were never consulted. KCCA should have sensitised us before rushing to impose multiple taxes on business. We have an association, why didn’t they invite us for talks,” Martin Mulindwa, a special hire driver said.
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